It has become abundantly clear that the BC Liberals have set on their strategy for the upcoming Provincial election. Their strategy (which is in many ways is similar to their strategy in the last election) is to pre-emptively try to portray and define the BCNDP and their leader as inconsistent and “everything to everyone”, representing the “Party of No (development)” while at the same time trying to promote Christy Clark in contrast as being a strong leader with a strong/clear and consistent record and message (as above). But is the latter actually true? Have Christy Clark and her government been “strong/clear and consistent” or is in fact the opposite true? Have she and her government been anything but strong/clear and consistent but have been just saying as much to try to convince the voting public (and in some ways their own supporters) that this is in fact the case? Let’s have a look at a few selected issues over the last couple of weeks and see if that “strong/clear and consistent” claim holds up to scrutiny.

The Famous 5 Conditions For Heavy Oil Projects (well really the 4 consistent conditions and the one that seems to be in flux)

The BC Liberals and Christy Clark have repeatedly claimed that they have always been clear and consistent on the 5 conditions (as below). But is that actually true?

A search for the 5 conditions provided in various news releases and articles since then suggests that, for the most part, the 5 conditions have indeed been fairly consistent. Yes fairly. Not completely consistent. Just fairly. Why would I say that? Let me explain. You may remember that the Premier on November 30th released a statement regarding the five conditions following the Kinder Morgan announcement by the Feds. I’ve reproduced the statement below. Notice anything different? Why yes. Condition #4 appears to be completely different. “Legal requirements regarding Aboriginal and treaty rights are addressed” is no longer part of Condition 4 in the statement issued by the Premier instead the Premier describes Condition #4 as “Indigenous participation”.

“Five conditions have to be met, three of them are environment, one is about making sure First Nations are participating (emphasis mine), which is an obligation set by the Crown, and then the last is making sure British Columbia gets it s fair share so all of them are equally important and they all have to be met, not just one.”

Remarkable consistent with her November 30th release and over four years apart no?

So is it just that the Premier being succinct as some apologists have suggested? Hardly. A graphic produced by the BC Liberal Caucus on day prior to the release from the Premier (as seen below) was very succinct indeed and yet still managed to capture the entire essence of Condition #4 (both indigenous rights and opportunities).

As everyone knows, official statements such as that made by the Premier above are gone over with a fine toothed comb. Was this is the first step in priming the public to garner support for ignoring a critical aspect of one of the original 5 conditions? Or did the communications staff for the Premier drop the ball on this one yet again as they did in 2012? Is the Premier’s office at odds with the party over the interpretation of condition 4? Not exactly sure. Whatever the reason, have the BC Liberals and Christy Clark been consistent on their Five Conditions? Well the answer is clearly and obviously no. Probably best to be clear and consistent if you are claiming to be clear and consistent. Just saying.

Other jurisdictions have shown strong and consistent leadership by doing what was best for the people first as people were literally dying in the streets (see Alberta), not so much the BC Liberals. The BC Liberals sat on their hands seemingly not wanting to upset their base or (god forbid) acknowledge that the BCNDP were ever possibly right on anything (on pill presses, etc.).

Oh yes, and please do go ahead do congratulate yourselves. Congratulations again for doing nothing when people were and are literally dying in the streets and then taking the credit for the actions of others. Please do.

At the recent Dec. 9 Premier’s meeting on Climate Change Premier Clark told reporters and anyone who would listen that BC would sign the plan as BC had concerns that other Provinces with a cap and trade system would not be able to reach the price the plan calls for by 2022. This was after of course in September of this the Premier writing in a statement on September 26 that “other’s may choose a broad-based cap and trade system and that’s fine. We recognize that either system will achieve emission reductions”. Well that doesn’t seem consistent does it?

Then at the recent carbon tax meeting she said that it was not OK in its current form and then later that same day after getting assurances that the system would be reviewed in 4 years, an about-face from the Premier occurred with the Premier saying that everything was all good now and saying that she would be signing on to the agreement after all.

The usual BC Liberals cheerleaders were quick to praise her “clear and consistent leadership” even though her position quickly had changed many times (twice in one day in fact).

Those far right observers who originally were quick to congratulate Premier Clark for her “strong stand” for Western Canada along side climate change denier Conservative Brad Wall,

were quick to see that flip flop in her position and call it for what it was, disingenuous political posturing.

Indeed. Rather than actually showing strong and consistent Climate leadership, the BC Liberals just say that they are doing that and hope that no one notices. The fake nature of their climate leadership announcement has now become both an iconic and ironic “tell” in so many ways.

So would strong and consistent describe the bizarre political performance art performed by the Premier at the Premier’s conference on climate change? Hardly.

On a side note, it is interesting to note that the BC Liberals were (and still are) exuberantly celebrating having an independent review of the carbon tax in 2020 while at the same time being so resistant to any suggestion that Site C be the subject of an independent review via the BC Utilities Commission etc. Again hardly clear and consistent. All actions by this government appear to be completely inconsistent and completely politically motivated.

Lastly, and then their was their flip flop and the controversy surrounding Bill 27, the Human Rights Code Amendment Act. Here is a video that eloquently details the flip flop and includes BC Liberals MLA for Chilliwack-Hope (Laurie Throness) empassioned speech against the legislative change to explicitly protect the LGBT community.

Do remember too that despite Christy Clark turning up for the photo-op for the event on the legislative steps (see below)

So there you have it. Eight relatively recent examples all showing clearly inconsistent statements and leadership, weather vane politicking, and flip flopping by Christy Clark and the BC Liberals. By just saying that your leader and party is “clear and consistent” or “strong and consistent” just doesn’t make it so. That may play to your base but the electorate out there (if you haven’t noticed) is angry and not stupid. They know. Believe me they know. And they can see right through you.